Drinking attachments for faucets



Aug. 27, 1963 r. sLATER, .IRl 3,101,900

DRINKING ATTACHMENTS FOR FAUCETS Filed Feb. 5, 1962 INVENTOR. 7/0NAS 5mn-"R Je United States Patent O DRINKING AITACHMENTS FOR FAUCETS Thomas Slater, Jr., 14057 32nd Ave. NE.,

, l Seattle, Wash.

FledFeb. 5, 1962, Ser. No. 171,115 2 Claims.` (Cl. Z39- 25) This invention relates yto drinkingv fountain attachments for faucets as ordinarily used to control delivery of'water, either hot or colclA orfa mixture of both, into basins, sinks andthe like. i j

Speciiically stated, the present invention resides in the provision of a-drinking fountain attachment that may be .applied to the'dischange spout of the usual f-aucet 'without alteration in some instances and requiring only a relatively .inexpensive 'and easily performed change or aiterationin `other instances and which fountain attachment embodies a chamber from vwhich water for drinking, as from ra bubble-up fountain, may be discharged under valve control after the faucet control .valve is opened and water is lflowing through the faucet spout.

It is 4the princi-pal object of this invention to provide a drinking lattachment las abovel stated that can be readily threaded onto most present day types of residential faucets; which is relatively inexpensive; which may be easily used by children at play ground installations without ex- -cessive -waste of water; and which embodies anadjustable control valve that closes automatically when released horn open position.-4 y l A further object of the invention resides in the provision of a novel fountain portion and a novel protective cover member for` the fountain or drinking spout; the

latter being especially desirable when the attachment Vdevice is used in connection with a faucet as applied to ing attachment of the present invention applied thereto.

FIG.l 2 is an faxial section of the attachmentdevice i with a part thereof lshown in front end elevation.

l FIG. 3 is a left hand end elevation of the attachment as shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is |a perspective view of the tubular sleeve which is, contained in the housing ofthe device, with parts broken away for explanatory purposes.

FIG. 5 is a right :end View of the drinking device as seen in FIG. 2.

Referring more in detail `to the drawings:

' In FIG. l, 10 designates the discharge spout of a typical mixing faucet m such as that employed for the delivery either of hot or of cold wateror a mixture thereof into a basin or sink. The faucet is here indicated as having valve controlling handles 11 and 11 for regulating the delivery of water from hot and cold water supply lines to the spout 110. v The drinking attachment device of this invention is design-ated in its entirety in FIG. 1 by reference numeral 12 Iand it is shown to comprise a hollow, tubular casing or housing 13 with ra sidewall opening into which a diametrically reduced outer end portion of the spout 10` is threaded in a water-tight joint. Thev housing 13 also is formed near one end with a somewhat enlarged bulbous portion 13x from which a short tubular discharge spout 15 is downwardly directed land onto lthe end of which lfwith a water discharge channel 20.

Patented Aug. 27, rees spout y1S a conventional form of aerator 16 is threaded. When either valve of the faucet 10m is opened, water will tbe delivered-into the housing 13 and `discharged from it through the spout 1'5 andaerator 16. -In the event that the drinking fountain is to be used, a fountain control 'valve-contained in housing 13 is then adjustably opened. This valve will'be described in connection with a further description of the parts shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 thatfollows. Y

n Threaded onto the left hand end of the housing or casing 13 as seen in FIGS. l tand 2 is a fitting 19` formed With'the parts assembled as shown in FIG. 2 this channel 2d continues outwardly 'from a central axial bore 22, .of a nipple forming plug-23 that is threaded axially, "as show-n in FIGS. 2 and 5 into the bulbous chamber off hou-sing 13. The tting 19 is threaded` onto"the"nipple 23 and so adjusted that the outer end ofwater discharge channel 20 is directed upwardly into the lower end portion of a short `cylindrical sleeve 24 that is supported vertically from the iitting` 19 with substantial open dnainage space between them at its lower endas at 25 in FIGS. 2 and 5. The diameter of sleeve 24 is substantially three ytimes that` of the discharge end of channel'20 which is axially centered in the'sleeve. n j v 'The inner end surface of the nipple plug 23 provides tan annular, tapered seat 26 ,about` the inner end of bore 22 from and against which a conioally tapered annular head 27 formed on the inner end of a tubular sleeve 28, seen in FIG. 4, 'and presently to be described, is seated. This head is formed .internally with an annularvalve seat 31 against which a valve head 32 on the inner end of a valve stem '33 may be adjusted t0 regulate ow of waterV todischarge channel 20. n The outer end portion of v-alve stem 33 extends from the end of casing 13 through a packing gland 34 and at that end has a fixed connection `hand Wheel 35.

The valve stem 33 and 'coil spring 36 are surrounded by the previously mentioned sleeve 28 which is fitted at its Vright hand end las seen in FIG. 2 in the tubular hous- Qing 13 and -at its opposite end has its tapered end head 27 engaged tightly against seat 31. Adjacent that end, the sleeve contains a sidewall opening 37 through which water can flow from the housing 13,' when valve head 32 is opened, int-o the plug passage 22 leading into the channel 2t).A When v-alve head 32 -is opened, water is then discharged to ychannel 21 tand upwardly therefrom through sleeve 24 for vdrinking and the rate of flow is controlled by adjustment Iof valve head 32 by hand wheel 35.

As a sanitary protective feature for the fountain portion' `of this device, I have provided a closure or cover cap 40 for the top end of the sleeve 24. This cap 40 is fixed to one end portion of la small diameter rod 41 that is rotatably mounted in supports 42-42' fixed to fitting 19 to extend to a position between adjacent radially extending spoke-like members 43 formed on the hub 35h of valve wheel 35 where the rod is equipped with an upwardly directed arm 45.

In using the faucet for a drinking purpose, after one or both of the faucet valves have been opened, the valve wheel 35 is first rotatably ,adjusted to unseat'the valve head 32 from seat 31 thus to allow the desired outflow from channel 21. With the initial turning 0f the hand Wheel 35, the operator also slightly rotates rod 41 by finger pressure applied against the rod turning arm 45, `as indicated in FIG. 5 vthus to swing the cover member 40 upwardly and away from the top end of the sleeve as in FIG. 6. The stream of water discharged upwardly from channel 2f) will then spout upwardly from the sleeve 24 and the drinker can' consume what he desire-s without mouth contact with the sleeve or yany part of the faucet. The overflow quickly drains into the basin or sink from the open lower end of the sleeve through passage 25.

In the event that the idrinking attachment is to be applied to faucets with spouts which are downturned at their discharge ends the opening in the housing 13 for reception of the spout Iwould be so located -as to open upwardly from the top wall of the housing.

Such attachments can be |easily and readily applied to domestic faucets without difficulty lor material expense. They do not interfere with the normal discharge of water from spout 15 and aerator 16 and also afford convenience in drinking Water directly from the faucet.

The provision of the closure cap 40 insures sanitary use of the device over a sink or basin.

What I claim las new is:

1. A drinking attachment for a water faucet of .the character described; said attachment comprising a horizontally disposed housing, formed medially of its ends with a pressure chamber having la side wall inlet adapted for direct connection of the housing chamber with the faucet spout and having a downwardly directed discharge opening, a fitting applied to one end of said horizontally disposed housing formed with a Water discharge channel leading from said pressure chamber :and directed up- E wardly at its discharge end, a manually operable valve in said chamber for controlling outflow of water through said channel, a rotatable handle member for controlling said valve, located at the end of said housing opposite its fitting mounting end, a jet protecting sleeve mounted on said fitting in position for the upward discharge of water from said channel therethrough and a protective cap hingedly mounted on said fitting for closing over 'inner tend with a valve member fand at its outer end with `a vlalve adjusting wheel, and wherein a cylindrical tube is contained axially in said housing chamber to enclose said stem and valve and is formed with a water inlet port in a sidewall thereof for inow yof wrater to the water discharge channel.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,001,839 Garland Aug. 29, 1911 1,069,910 Taylor Aug. 12, 1913 1,366,055 Bowlzer Jan. 18, 1921 2,899,137 Martin Aug. 1l, 1959 

1. A DRINKING ATTACHMENT FOR A WATER FAUCET OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED; SAID ATTACHMENT COMPRISING A HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED HOUSING, FORMED MEDIALLY OF ITS ENDS WITH A PRESSURE CHAMBER HAVING A SIDE WALL INLET ADAPTED FOR DIRECT CONNECTION OF THE HOUSING CHAMBER WITH THE FAUCET SPOUT AND HAVING A DOWNWARDLY DIRECTED DISCHARGE OPENING, A FITTING APPLIED TO ONE END OF SAID HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED HOUSING FORMED WITH A WATER DISCHARGE CHANNEL LEADING FROM SAID PRESSURE CHAMBER AND DIRECT UPWARDLY AT ITS DISCHARGE END, A MANUALLY OPERABLE VALVE IN SAID CHAMBER FOR CONTROLLING OUTFLOW OF WATER THROUGH SAID CHANNEL, A ROTATABLE HANDLE MEMBER FOR CONTROLLING SAID VALVE, LOCATED AT THE END OF SAID HOUSING OPPOSITE ITS FITTING MOUNTING END, A JET PROTECTING SLEEVE MOUNTED ON SAID FITTING IN POSITION FOR THE UPWARD DISCHARGE OF WATER FROM SAID CHANNEL THERETHROUGH AND A PROTECTIVE CAP HINGEDLY MOUNTED ON SAID FITTING FOR CLOSING OVER THE UPPER END OF SAID SLEEVE AND HAVING A HANDLE EXTENEDE THEREFROM TO A POSITION FOR ITS ACTUATION BY THE HAND IN GRASPING THE HANDLE OF SAID MANUALLY OPERABLE VALVE FOR ITS OPENING. 